Enjoy Italian feast Saturday
St. John Vianney’s annual Italian Dinner is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. The dinner will feature a gourmet meal, entertainment and a live auction helmed by Islander Kevin Joyce.
Bidders will have chances to win vacation stays in Whistler, the Methow Valley and Montana, as well as entertainment packages including an evening with Vashon opera singers Jennifer and Andrew Krikawa, a brick oven pizza dinner, Husky football tickets, Seattle Repertory Theatre tickets and a private plane ride over Vashon. Artwork on the block will include works by well-known painters and a glass hat sculpture by Brian Brenno.
The night will also feature an auction of extravagant desserts and a raffle with a cash prize. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit the programs of St. John Vianney Church.
Featured menu items will include antipasto (made from a secret recipe), fresh pasta, chicken in red sauce, Caesar salad and surprise delicacies from Italy.
Music for the event will be provided by The Rigatones, a duo of accordion and guitar.
Tickets for the cash raffle will cost $10 and will be sold throughout the evening. The winner will receive half of the cash collected in the auction, with the other half going to St. John Vianney Church.
Tickets are $50 for ‘Club 50’ tickets, $40 for adults and $20 for children 12 and younger. A reserved table seating eight costs $350. Tickets are on sale at the church after weekend masses, and at Windermere Realty.
— Elizabeth Shepherd
Computer club meets
The Vashon Computer Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Vashon Senior Center.
At the October meeting, following a short trouble-shooting session, Michael O’Donnell will present a special demonstration. Using a device from Netflix, he will demonstrate streaming movies from the Netflix Internet connection wirelessly to a TV set and will discuss the sort of videos available for special interests. The discussion may also include some technical information about TV on computers.
Anyone may attend this meeting and participate in the discussion free of charge; the public is always welcome.
Membership is affordable and offers additional benefits.
— Almita Ranstrom
OA group is going strong
The new Overeaters Anon-ymous meeting, which began in August at the Vashon Presbyterian Church, is going strong. We have a great collection of literature on the subject of how to apply the 12 steps, the Tools and the Traditions to compulsive overeating.
One change is that we are now meeting in Classroom B on the ground floor level, instead of the belfry room upstairs to allow better access for everyone. The group meets on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The front door is locked, so please bang on the door, and we will come let you in. All are welcome.
Fruit show at Village Green
The Vashon Fruit Club holds its annual Fruit Show and Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Village Green during CiderFest. Come see and sample apples from our great variety we will offer. Got a mystery apple? Bring it along to be identified by an expert.
We’ve also got bee condos available and pest information, too.
— Tracy Barrett
Handbell choirs seek kids
Vashon Handbell Choir and Just-in-Chime Youth chime and bell choir have begun another musical season.
Practices will be Wednesdays from 5:15 to 6 p.m. for school-aged children and 6 to 7:15 p.m. for adults 16 years and older. A more advanced “4-in-hand” small group practices from 7:15 to 8 p.m.
Free childcare is provided, and practices are held at the Vashon United Methodist Church. These community choirs are open to everyone; little musical experience is required, and newcomers are welcome.
The practices are a fun way for children and adults to experience music with three octaves of chimes, five octaves of handbells and rhythm instruments. These musicians will learn basic rhythm, notation and musical terminology through practice and learning games each week.
There will be two performances for the youth and four to five performances for the adults at various churches and community venues, culminating in a Christmas concert on Dec. 14. There will also be an opportunity for participation in a small group, which will perform in what has become a fun holiday tradition: street corner caroling for the Chamber of Commerce tree lighting ceremony.
Contact me at 463-5066 or Deborah Anderson at 463-4630 for more information.
— Tina Parrish
Goldstein hosts Greens
The Vashon-Maury Island Green Party’s monthly meeting, the second Tuesday of each month except the first Tuesday in October, will be at Joy Goldstein’s home. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 10329 S.W. Bank Rd. Call Goldstein at 463-3468 for information; park along Bank Road.
The agenda includes questions and comments, Cynthia McKinney’s presidential campaign, the Green Party of Washington State fall convention and the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council on clean elections and ranked choice voting.
Questions? Call Steve Graham at 463-9579.
— Melvin Mackey
Bosch will lead Kiwanis
Jean Bosch was installed president of Vashon Kiwanis for the 2008-09 Kiwanis year Sept. 30 at the club’s regular dinner meeting at Back Bay Inn.
JR Crawford is the new vice president. Ed Williams is the second vice president. Joyce Smith is the new treasurer, replacing Bosch. Ray Konrad agreed to be secretary again for the third year. Board members installed wereJim Scott, Clancy Cole and Jay Becker joining Dorothy Johnson and Dick Franklin in the second year of their terms.
Joyce Smith has volunteered to be toy drive chair next holiday season because, she said, she was impressed when she helped out last season and enjoyed distributing toys and clothes to make the holiday better for youths.
The toy drive is one of four activities Kiwanis sponsors regularly. Others are the holiday dinner for senior citizens, the Strawberry Festival pancake breakfast and the community fund calendar drive.
Chris Bingham recently talked about the culture shock Kiwanis members would have if they visited Vietnam. He was selected to establish four high schools in Vietnam to offer American-style instruction. Ordinary life in Vietnam is much harder, but the beauty of the country is that the “people are determined they are going to make it” in this century, Bingham said, adding that many look up to Americans. He thought communist leaders perhaps were surprised at what they were getting when they agreed they want some American-like schools.
More details of what Bingham said are at www.vashonkiwanis.org.
— Jay Becker
Church honors St. Francis
Sunday, Oct. 5, is the day that we will be celebrating the Feast of St. Francis at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit. At the 10:15 a.m. service, which will be held outside weather permitting, we will have a blessing of the animals. In the case of inclement weather, the service will be in the fellowship hall.
This is a lively, celebratory time of worship. In the past, we have had farm animals to hamsters, with a lot of dogs and cats in between. All are welcome. Really.
Be sure your animals are secure. Blessings can be be-stowed through carriers. Leashes are recommended. Animals that don’t mix well with crowds may receive a blessing in absentia. Stuffed animals make good avatars.
— Debbie Butler
VIPP hosts garage sale
Vashon Island Pet Protectors will hold its fall garage sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Firefighters’ Association Building on Bank Road. Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17.
Unfortunately, we’re unable to accept mattresses, computers, clothes, exercise equipment or large appliances.
For more information, call me at 463-5381.
— Victoria Rohlfs
